Comments on: I Am Half-Sick of Bloggers, Said the Lady of Shalott http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/ Tue, 22 May 2012 19:59:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-118838 Fredric Koeppel Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:55:17 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-118838 Funny thing, WB, i just got a call from a pr person asking if I had received the wine they sent, what did I think of it and so on. that's not unethical (that's what they're paid to do), but it certainly is annoying. as you ay, all that needs to be said is, "yes, I got the wine, and if I get a chance to taste it and write about it, I will. Meanwhile, thank you for sending it." Funny thing, WB, i just got a call from a pr person asking if I had received the wine they sent, what did I think of it and so on. that’s not unethical (that’s what they’re paid to do), but it certainly is annoying. as you ay, all that needs to be said is, “yes, I got the wine, and if I get a chance to taste it and write about it, I will. Meanwhile, thank you for sending it.”

]]> By: 1WineDude http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-118692 1WineDude Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:24:53 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-118692 We gazed upon our own navels. We found lint. Next steps: - Remove lint. - Move on. We gazed upon our own navels.

We found lint.

Next steps:
- Remove lint.
- Move on.

]]> By: winebroad http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-118486 winebroad Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:38:31 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-118486 Hi Fred, great post. Just wanted to weigh in on another side of this issue. How's about a code of ethics for winery PR folks? More than a few times I've received calls from PR reps who sent samples wanting to know: 1) When are you planning to write about our wine? and 2) What did you think of it? I don't know about you, but I don't have time (or the inclination) to give individual feedback about the samples I receive. Does this ever happen to you, Fred, and if so, do you think it's a reasonable request? I find it awkward and fairly irritating. (Not as bad as the "So, did you receive my press release?" calls, but along those lines.) As for the question about when I plan to write about a wine, the hones answer is usually something like: "When I get to it," or "There's no guarantee that I will write about it after I taste it." Sometimes I'll taste a wine, but won't end up reviewing it because I don't think it's worth recommending. What say you, Fred? Hi Fred, great post. Just wanted to weigh in on another side of this issue. How’s about a code of ethics for winery PR folks? More than a few times I’ve received calls from PR reps who sent samples wanting to know: 1) When are you planning to write about our wine? and 2) What did you think of it? I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time (or the inclination) to give individual feedback about the samples I receive. Does this ever happen to you, Fred, and if so, do you think it’s a reasonable request? I find it awkward and fairly irritating. (Not as bad as the “So, did you receive my press release?” calls, but along those lines.)

As for the question about when I plan to write about a wine, the hones answer is usually something like: “When I get to it,” or “There’s no guarantee that I will write about it after I taste it.” Sometimes I’ll taste a wine, but won’t end up reviewing it because I don’t think it’s worth recommending. What say you, Fred?

]]> By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-118279 Fredric Koeppel Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:48:58 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-118279 So ... Dennis, I have heard rumors for years that wineries send "special" bottlings to writers and publications; that must be why wineries in California send me all these over-oaked, cloying chardonnays that I hate. You say: "This is what differentiates reading a blog and a journalist’s review…few journalists know the ‘value’ of wine since they don’t pay for a bottle with great frequency." I'm wondering if you did a survey of winewriter/journalists to find out how frequently they buy wine; I'd like to see that survey and how many people it went to. Actually, I buy quite a bit of wine, so much in 2005 through 2007 that I had to exert a little self-control this year and not shell out so much dough. Most of that wine ended up either on my now defunct website or this blog. I would bet that many journalists also buy wine because, you know, they love it. And of course the 'value' of a wine lies inside the bottle itself and in its usefulness to whoever is buying it. So … Dennis, I have heard rumors for years that wineries send “special” bottlings to writers and publications; that must be why wineries in California send me all these over-oaked, cloying chardonnays that I hate.

You say: “This is what differentiates reading a blog and a journalist’s review…few journalists know the ‘value’ of wine since they don’t pay for a bottle with great frequency.” I’m wondering if you did a survey of winewriter/journalists to find out how frequently they buy wine; I’d like to see that survey and how many people it went to. Actually, I buy quite a bit of wine, so much in 2005 through 2007 that I had to exert a little self-control this year and not shell out so much dough. Most of that wine ended up either on my now defunct website or this blog. I would bet that many journalists also buy wine because, you know, they love it.

And of course the ‘value’ of a wine lies inside the bottle itself and in its usefulness to whoever is buying it.

]]> By: Dennis Mitchell http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-117779 Dennis Mitchell Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:30:12 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-117779 One difference between a reviewer accepting a CD or book and a wine sample is that some producers may send out a sample that's not representative of the wine they actually sell. I'm fairly certain the movie seen by the critics is the same one I can see in the theater, too. Some wineries have several bottlings, for example, of a particular wine. And some may have a small lot intended solely for sampling. A CD or book is not usually subject to such shenanigans. The notion of many blogs is that they are, essentially, a personal diary. Most of the people writing wine blogs post tasting notes about wines they have actually purchased. This is what differentiates reading a blog and a journalist's review...few journalists know the 'value' of wine since they don't pay for a bottle with great frequency. On the other hand, of course, someone who's an enthusiastic amateur may not have a great palate. Of course, many who write about wine as a profession are not guaranteed to be great judges of wine quality, either. Publications such as The Wine Spectator do not note which samples arrived from the winery and which (few) have been purchased. So... One difference between a reviewer accepting a CD or book and a wine sample is that some producers may send out a sample that’s not representative of the wine they actually sell. I’m fairly certain the movie seen by the critics is the same one I can see in the theater, too.

Some wineries have several bottlings, for example, of a particular wine. And some may have a small lot intended solely for sampling. A CD or book is not usually subject to such shenanigans.

The notion of many blogs is that they are, essentially, a personal diary. Most of the people writing wine blogs post tasting notes about wines they have actually purchased.
This is what differentiates reading a blog and a journalist’s review…few journalists know the ‘value’ of wine since they don’t pay for a bottle with great frequency.

On the other hand, of course, someone who’s an enthusiastic amateur may not have a great palate. Of course, many who write about wine as a profession are not guaranteed to be great judges of wine quality, either.

Publications such as The Wine Spectator do not note which samples arrived from the winery and which (few) have been purchased.

So…

]]> By: Terry Hughes http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-117664 Terry Hughes Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:04:40 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-117664 Erwin, I agree with your last para. Good points. Erwin, I agree with your last para. Good points.

]]> By: erwin dink http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-117648 erwin dink Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:30:59 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-117648 The sentence you quote from Tom's article states an assumption that may not be accurate. "New media" isn't new simply because of it's delivery mechanism or the fact that almost anyone can do it. What makes it new is partly a rejection of the long tradition of an old media that has slowly evolved into corporate dominance and guaranteeing shareholder profits. "Objectivity" doesn't really exist and one thing many of us want is simply full and honest disclosure. I get Tom's point but I don't see a lot of evidence that the majority of bloggers want to emulate traditional media. When I want traditional media I read the NY Times, for example. It seems to me that this brough-haha results from projecting "old media" traditions and assumptions onto something that wants to be something different. Sure, it's a safe assumption that bloggers want to be recognized because that implies eyeballs but "legitimacy" as defined by the old guard? That's presumptious. I also think a lot of the defenses being offered by some of the Rockaway participants are baseless. The Rockaway event was an interesting marketing experiment that took place on the fringe of this new media thing. The line between journalism and marketing have been blurred for some time now and the only solution I can see is disclosure. Except for a few giants I lost my trust of traditional media years ago. The sentence you quote from Tom’s article states an assumption that may not be accurate. “New media” isn’t new simply because of it’s delivery mechanism or the fact that almost anyone can do it. What makes it new is partly a rejection of the long tradition of an old media that has slowly evolved into corporate dominance and guaranteeing shareholder profits. “Objectivity” doesn’t really exist and one thing many of us want is simply full and honest disclosure.

I get Tom’s point but I don’t see a lot of evidence that the majority of bloggers want to emulate traditional media. When I want traditional media I read the NY Times, for example. It seems to me that this brough-haha results from projecting “old media” traditions and assumptions onto something that wants to be something different. Sure, it’s a safe assumption that bloggers want to be recognized because that implies eyeballs but “legitimacy” as defined by the old guard? That’s presumptious.

I also think a lot of the defenses being offered by some of the Rockaway participants are baseless. The Rockaway event was an interesting marketing experiment that took place on the fringe of this new media thing. The line between journalism and marketing have been blurred for some time now and the only solution I can see is disclosure. Except for a few giants I lost my trust of traditional media years ago.

]]> By: Wine Enabler http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-117641 Wine Enabler Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:14:39 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-117641 This was a carefully thought out post on a quite contentious topic these days. Bravo. -michael This was a carefully thought out post on a quite contentious topic these days. Bravo.

-michael

]]> By: Richard Shaffer http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-117005 Richard Shaffer Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:40:12 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-117005 Does anyone know what Rodney Strong winery thinks about all of this? Was there any impact at all to them, their mailing list, their sales, their whatever as a result of the blog posts, or the excitement that followed? Richard Does anyone know what Rodney Strong winery thinks about all of this? Was there any impact at all to them, their mailing list, their sales, their whatever as a result of the blog posts, or the excitement that followed?

Richard

]]> By: Thomas Pellechia http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/comment-page-1/#comment-117002 Thomas Pellechia Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:24:31 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2008/08/30/i-am-half-sick-of-bloggers-said-the-lady-of-shalott/#comment-117002 Aha, Fredric. I misunderstood at least one. "Watch your back," means something specific to us Italians from New York City, along the lines of "keep your friends happy and your enemies close." ;) You do the latter by making deals--good or bad ones. Mea culpa. I believe your blog post on the issue was more to the point than mine. Aha, Fredric. I misunderstood at least one.

“Watch your back,” means something specific to us Italians from New York City, along the lines of “keep your friends happy and your enemies close.” ;) You do the latter by making deals–good or bad ones.

Mea culpa.

I believe your blog post on the issue was more to the point than mine.

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